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That big robot wouldn't bother me at all, and in fact I think it's a great idea, but the creepy teddy-bear-like head is way too much for me.

But on the larger subject, I hope to god there are some robots in my future. I couldn't be bothered to clean my house regularly before my injury and now cleaning takes 3 times as long as it used to. I could use a lithium-ion powered slave or two to get things done for me around the house. Also wouldn't mind a set of robotic legs so I can take the stairs again.

Interesting...Creepy, Terrifying, Weird, Scary are the many adjectives that people use about these robot machines... I am wondering why we have these pejoratives about these robotic helpers. Does it have something to do with the I robot movie, with the corrupted controller VICKEY????

For my part, I don't have any of those pejoratives on my radar screen about what a helper robot looks like. Is what the robot looks like the new discrimination issue for humans? There is the old Woody Allen movie where "Luna" didn't like the features of her robot and wanted them changed out and removed. Are we going to have the same discrimination issues with robots that we have with race. Really, really sad. if that is the case.

People don’t find roombas creepy terrifying or weird. same with industrial robots that paint parts in a factor or wash our cars in an automatic car wash.

Clearly the thing that weirds people out is the creation of humanoid (or dog like in the case of your second link) robots. And slapping a teddy bear face on that one was obviously some bored designers sick joke (or maybe a marketing gimmick to get more clicks on the thumbnail). Humans have long been creeped out by human like things, even long before robots. It’s getting to be Halloween time, scarecrows and carved pumpkin heads are two that I can think of off the top of my head. Factories full of featureless mannequins or creepy dolls are staples of the horror genre.

As humans we can’t help but make associations with things, but them in categories with other things and assume they have similar attributes. When you see a roomba you know it’s for cleaning your floors (and maybe giving the cat a ride), but when you see a humanoid robot with a face, two arms, two legs that walks around like a person and talks, we start to wonder how to categorize this new machine. Obviously it’s a machine, but it looks so human it can see and talk. Will it have other human attributes? Can it think? Can it feel? Will it resent me for enslaving it? Will skynet one day become self aware and destroy all of humanity?

obviously we all know consciously that’s not the case, but it’s the remnants of our primitive, superstitious, magical thinking brains that still gets a bit creeped out.

Even you are anthropomorphizing the robots by wondering if we might discriminate against them... the same way we discriminate against toasters and bicycles, one would assume...

I really don't understand a word you have written.

No one discriminates against a toaster, a microwave, a lawn mower, a whatever...whatever.

But, when we start to talk about robots that will integrate into our lives, serving us, being just a "hey robot" away most people get all upset. And yes, those who don't like RoboBears features, probably have the same problem with someone who is black or hispanic or...or...and they don't like those features either.

I'm not anthropomorphizing anything (your words), Originally, I was just asking the question, how would this kind of technology change your life and how would your deal with it. My question was just rhetorical...why do you need to take it to a personal level. Why can't we have a reasonable discussion on these forums without goring everyones ox, just because we bring up a topic. I obviously have no skin in this game...no dog in this fight...I was just trying to engender conversation on a topic about technology...why are you...why do you have to go for the jugular????

Not sure why you feel personally attacked, nothing I said was in any way “going for your jugular” or insulting you in any way. I was trying to contribute to the conversation you started. I will refrain from doing so in the future, you seem much too fragile and prone to being butt hurt by benign conversation.

Thinking about my post above when I said no one discriminates against a toaster, etc. Yes, we do discriminate when it comes to these tools and appliances. We buy a Samsung instead of a Sony, a Toro lawn mower instead of a Husqvarna. So I suppose it is no wonder that we may find certain features of a robot to be more or less to our liking.

When robot manufacturers are designing for mass markets, they will probably have to consider offering a range of features from which to choose, just like we choose features and colors when we buy furniture, a car etc.